Used Cooking Oil & Grease: Recycle or Reuse

Cooking oil is a staple in residential and commercial kitchens. The problem comes when deciding how to dispose of used cooking oil and grease. Pouring used oil down the sink drain can cause serious damage to your pipes as well as the environment. It can clog your home's and public pipes once it solidifies and cause sewage tunnel systems to overflow. If used oil is disposed of improperly in your trash, it can leak and attract pests; this can cause major issues for your neighborhood and garbage truck workers.

Personal disposal of used cooking oil requires letting it cool down first; if you prefer it to solidify for easier handling, you can place it in the freezer. You can also mix used oil and grease with corn starch, cat litter, or flour instead of freezing. Place the cooled or frozen oil in a nonbreakable (e.g. plastic), sealed container or a zipper bag (e.g., Ziplock); avoid using a plastic grocery bag as they can easier tear. If you decide to use a zipper bag, look for brands that are certified biodegradable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Unni is a great example that provides bags of all sizes; their products are also certified "OK Compost Home" by TUV Austria. You can then place the container in your waste bin or, if using an Unni or other "OK Compost Home" bag, into your compost bin (if the oil was used to cook plant-based food).

One major issue concerning the disposal of used cooking oil and other food waste into the landfill is the emission of greenhouse gases (particularly methane) as they decompose. According to the US EPA, when taking into account all greenhouse gases, the average emissions caused by food waste are equivalent to about 5.6 pounds of carbon dioxide for every gallon of cooking oil. A great alternative to disposal is to recycle your oil and grease. This can be done by contacting a company or organization that will regularly collect your oil and grease and convert it into clean-burning biofuel. These services are usually free and, in some cases, companies will even pay you for your oil. Refer to the cooking oil recycling page to find used cooking oil pick up services near you. A simple internet search will reveal additional companies who serve customers on a regional or even national scale.

A third alternative is to turn your used oil into a household cleaning item such as hand or dish soap. Please watch the following videos for more information on how to do this.

Hand Soap:

Dish Washing Soap:

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Helpful Hint

Begin saving your used cooking oil for recycling or reuse. Contact someone to pick up your used oil or feel free to leave a comment if you are successfully able to make soap.